Lemon Basil Flan With Raspberry Sauce Recipes

VANILLA FLAN WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a saucepan over low heat combine 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until sugar caramelizes, swirling pan occasionally. Immediately pour into 2 (9-inch) pie dishes. Turn dishes, so bottom and sides are coated. Set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, egg yolks and vanilla.
• Stir in whipping cream, milk and 1 1/2 cups sugar.
• Divide mixture among pie dishes.
• Place pie pans in a heavy baking pan, adding enough hot water to come up halfway up sides of pie dishes.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes clean. Remove custards from water and cool. Refrigerate overnight (*can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.).
• Invert custards on platters; sprinkle with raspberries to serve.

LEMON MASCARPONE BRûLéE TARTS WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make shells:
• Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor combine flour, pecans, sugar, and salt and pulse until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and pulse until a dough just forms. Form dough into a flattened disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Press dough (about 1/3 cup for each shell) onto bottoms and up sides of eight 4 1/2-inch fluted tart pans with removable rims. Prick bottoms of shells all over with a fork. Freeze shells 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Arrange shells in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven 18 minutes, or until golden. Cool shells in pans on a rack. Shells may be made 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
• Make filling:
• In a heavy saucepan combine butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, and remove pan from heat. In a bowl whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until thick and pale. Add hot butter mixture in a stream, whisking constantly, and transfer to pan. Cook mixture over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until thick and just beginning to boil. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl and stir in zest. Cool lemon mixture completely, its surface covered with buttered wax paper, and chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together mascarpone and cream until thick and smooth. Fold in 1 1/2 cups lemon mixture, reserving remainder for another use, until combined well.
• Divide filling among shells, smoothing tops. Chill tarts, loosely covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Make sauce:
• In a blender puree sauce ingredients and pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids.
• Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon superfine sugar evenly over each tart and caramelize with a blowtorch, moving flame evenly back and forth over sugar (not crust) until melted and caramelized, about 30 seconds. (Alternatively, caramelize sugar under a preheated broiler. If using broiler, cover crusts with pieces of foil to prevent burning.)
• Serve tarts with raspberry sauce.